Wednesday 26 June 2024

Roger Voisin born 26 June 1918

Roger Louis Voisin (June 26, 1918 – February 13, 2008) was an American classical trumpeter. In 1959, The New York Times called him "one of the best-known trumpeters in this country." 

Among the most influential trumpet performers and teachers of the twentieth century, Voisin joined the Boston Symphony Orchestra as assistant principal trumpet in 1935 at age seventeen, and became principal trumpet in 1950. He performed in the Boston Symphony for 38 years, until 1973. During this period, he was also principal trumpet with the Boston Pops Orchestra. 

Voisin moved to the United States as a child when his father, René Voisin (1893–1952), was brought to the Boston Symphony as fourth trumpet by Sergei Koussevitzky in 1928. He was initially a student of his father, but he later studied with the Boston Symphony's second trumpet Marcel LaFosse (1894–1969) and principal trumpet Georges Mager (1885–1950). He also studied solfege with Boston Symphony contrabassist Gaston Dufresne. 


                  Here's "Trumpeters Lullaby" from above album.

                                   

He is credited with premiere performances of many major works for trumpet including Paul Hindemith's Sonata for Trumpet and Piano (with Hindemith at the piano), and Alan Hovhaness' Prayer of St. Gregory. He is also credited with the US premiere of Alexander Arutiunian's Trumpet Concerto, performing with the Boston Pops Orchestra in 1966. Leroy Anderson's A Trumpeter's Lullaby was written for Roger Voisin in 1949, and first recorded with Arthur Fiedler conducting Voisin and the Boston Pops Orchestra in 1950. 

 Leroy Anderson states that "(A Trumpeter's Lullaby) had its beginning backstage at Symphony Hall in Boston. In addition to composing and conducting, I was arranger for the Boston Pops Orchestra for a number of years --- and after one of the concerts I was sitting talking with the conductor Arthur Fiedler and the first trumpet of the Boston Pops, Roger Voisin. Suddenly Roger Voisin asked me why I didn't write a trumpet solo for him to play with the orchestra that would be different from traditional trumpet solos which are all loud, martial or triumphant. After thinking it over, it occurred to me that I had never heard a lullaby for trumpet so I set out to write one --- with a quiet melody based on bugle notes played by the trumpet and with the rest of the orchestra playing a lullaby background." 

He has also been involved with many early recordings and performances of both solo and orchestral works including J. S. Bach's Brandenburg Concerto #2, Béla Bartók's Concerto for Orchestra, Aaron Copland's Quiet City, Joseph Haydn's Concerto for Trumpet in Eb, Alexander Scriabin's The Poem of Ecstasy, Georg Philipp Telemann's Concerto for Trumpet in D, and Antonio Vivaldi's Concerto for Two Trumpets in C. 

Roger Voisin was with the Boston Symphony at the inception of the Tanglewood Music Center in 1940, and continued to serve on the faculty there, coaching the orchestral winds and teaching solfège to the conducting class, until his death in 2008. He became chair of the New England Conservatory of Music (NEC) brass and percussion department in 1950 and was the primary trumpet teacher at NEC for nearly 30 years. In 1975 he became a full professor at Boston University, teaching trumpet and chairing the wind, percussion and harp department until his retirement in 1999. 

In 1989 Voisin donated much of his personal music library to Boston University, where it is housed in the Mugar Library's "Special Music Collections". He was awarded an honorary Doctorate from the New England Conservatory in 1991, along with legendary jazz trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie. He has served on the jury of the Maurice André trumpet competition since 1988.His students are found performing in orchestras and teaching at conservatories and universities throughout the world. 

Roger Voisin was also very active as an editor for International Music Company, providing over 45 editions for the company. He died in Newton, Massachusetts, on the  13th February 2008 (aged 89) (Edited from Wikipedia)

2 comments:

  1. For “ Roger Voisin And His Brass Ensemble – Music At M.I.T.
    The Modern Age Of Brass (1956 Unicorn)” go here:

    https://www.imagenetz.de/fttGi

    Music For Brass Instruments
    1 I - Chorale Fantasy
    2 II - Intermezzo
    3 III - Fugue
    Morgenmusik
    4 I - Massig Bewegt
    5 II - Lied
    6 III - Bewegt
    Brass Suite
    7 I - Fanfare & Gallop
    8 II - Lullaby
    9 III - Valse
    10 IV - Rondo
    Quintet In B-Flat
    11 I - Grave
    12 II - Adagio
    13 III - Allegro Vivo


    Composed By – Ingolf Dahl (tracks: 1-3), Nicolai Berezowski (tracks: 7-10), Paul Hindemith (tracks: 4-6), Robert Sanders (tracks: 11-13)
    Horns – Osbourne McConathy, Paul Keaney
    Trombone – Joseph Orosz, Kauko Kahila
    Trumpet – Armando Ghitalla, Roger Voisin
    Tuba – Kilton Vinal Smith

    Thanks to Denis for the loan of above LP. Here’s my contribution…

    For “Roger Voisin, The Kapp Sinfonietta, Emanuel Vardi – Trumpet Music” (1961 Kapp)” go here:

    https://www.imagenetz.de/caDYK

    1. Fanfare — Chiamata No. 3
    2. Symphony From "The Fairy Queen"
    3. Sonata For Trumpet And Two String Orchestras
    4. Carousel Music (1686)
    5. Fanfare — Chiamata No. 6
    6. Fanfare — Sinfonia Da Guerra
    7. Le Journal De Printemps — Suite No. 8
    8. Ten O'Clock (Hora Decima) — Sonata No. 30

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  2. Thank you, Bob and Denis.

    Another remarkable trumpeter was the Mexican virtuoso solo trumpeter, Rafael Méndez (March 26, 1906 – September 15, 1981). He was known as the "Heifetz of the Trumpet".

    - mel

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